Joseph Neonbasu has
become the first Missionaries of God’s Love brother from overseas to be
ordained a priest. Fr Neobasu, from West Timor
in Indonesia, was ordained by Archbishop Mark Coleridge. He had been in
formation with the Missionaries of God’s Love for seven years.

When he arrived in Australia he
had little English, but with great faith he overcame the obstacles of language
and cultural transition.

His ordination is a
sign of the changing face of the MGL, which has now welcomed many candidates
from other cultures into the formation program

As well as Australians
and New Zealanders the MGL now have brothers in their formation program from
the Philippines, Indonesia, India,
Papua New Guinea and Africa

People travelled to
the ordination from Melbourne, where Fr Neonbasu
did most of his training, and from Sydney,
where he has Indonesian friends. The local Indonesian community turned out in
force, together with parishioners of St Benedicts Narrabundah, where he worked
as a deacon.

The most touching
moment of the ordination ceremony came when Joseph’s mother and father and his
two brothers, both of whom are SVD priests, helped him to vest in his priestly
chasuble.